SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The Illinois Department of Public Health has fined Thomas Herbstritt House $10,000 (Statement of Violation) for failure to provide adequate supervision to prevent a resident from leaving the facility unsupervised. The 16-bed intermediate care facility for the developmentally disabled is located at 4003 N. Routes 1 and 17 in Momence.

As part of an incident report investigation, Department surveyors learned a resident left the facility unnoticed and was found by police approximately 1.6 miles away. The resident was taken to a local hospital, where he was treated for hypothermia.

The resident told surveyors he exited through a back door, which had a door alarm that was not functioning properly. It was later determined the alarm battery was dead.

A supervisor said the resident was to have one-to-one supervision in the mornings and evenings and to have bed checks every 15 to 30 minutes during the night shift. However, there was no written documentation of the supervision plans.

An employee said she checked the resident every hour and believed he was asleep, but discovered the resident had arranged blankets to look as if he was in his bed.

A Department-ordered plan of correction required the facility to assess each resident for their pattern of movement in the facility, to ensure staff are made aware of the level of care and supervision required by each resident in their care, to ensure that there is adequate staff present to meet the needs of its residents and to equip all exterior doors with an audible alarm.

Thomas Herbstritt House has requested a hearing on the Department's action. No hearing date has been scheduled.